SafePlace, a member of the Start Strong Learning Community, is the lead organization for Start Strong Austin. As part of this four-year initiative, Start Strong Austin will be implementing the Start Strong model by:

• Introducing Safe Dates, a healthy relationships curriculum, as well as Expect Respect Youth Leadership Training in middle schools and Date SMART at Boys and Girls Clubs
• Engaging youth and adults in prevention through the Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble and other community arts projects
• Building capacity in school, after-school, and health care settings to promote healthy relationships and prevent dating abuse through training and policy development
• Creating a youth-led media campaign, including digital stories, PSAs and a PBS documentary that will feature youth taking action for social change

BY THE NUMBER

• Start Strong Austin targets 3,200 students in 4 middle schools
• Of these students, 70% are Hispanic, 26% are African-American and 2.5% are Caucasian
• More than 92% of targeted youth are economically disadvantaged and over 75% are identified as at-risk due to lack of school success, social support needs and behavioral problems

OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Austin Independent School District
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area
Seton Family of Hospitals / Dell Childrens Medical Center of Central Texas
The Austin Project
Theatre Action Project
The Cipher -- Austin's Hip Hop Project

MEET THE TEAM

Barbara Ball: Project Director Start Strong Austin, SafePlace
Barri Rosenbluth: Director, Expect Respect Program, SafePlace
Susie Gidseg: Community Engagement Specialist, SafePlace
Randy Randolph: Prevention Manager, SafePlace
Joanna Lopez, Start Strong Youth Leader

CONNECT

Address: P.O Box 19454, Austin, TX 78760
Email: bball@SafePlace.org; expectrespect@SafePlace.org
Website: www.SafePlace.org; www.startstrongaustin.org
P: 512-356-1623

COMMUNITY UPDATES

• Educating Teens and Community Leaders - Start Strong Austin Spreads the Word about Healthy Relationships
• Start Strong Austin Brings Prevention to the White House!
• Video Documenting Start Strong Austin's Take it to the Streets Event

IN THE NEWS

• This youth theater is Changing Lives: Advice crafted for and by teens, onstage at a school near you
• Changing Lives Through Theatre Ensemble
• Parents: Start Relating Before Your Teen Starts Dating
• Student play attacks bullying
• Healthy Teen Relationships
• Cyber Bullying and Dating Violence
• Mother of slain teenager battles domestic abuse
• iN Context Presents: Changing Lives Through Art
• Preventing Teen Dating Violence
• Local play speaks against teen dating violence

PHOTOS:

Start Strong Austin team	Barri Rosenbluth, Barbara Ball, and Congressman Ted Poe	Start Strong Austin team with Congressman Ted Poe	Start Strong Austin teen, Joanna López
Congressman Ted Poe and Joanna Lopez	Start Strong Austin	Start Strong Austin	Start Strong Austin Teen - Eliana De La Garza
Start Strong Austin Teen - C.J. Burgess	Start Strong Austin - Program Launch